Condenser manufacture



May 19, 1931. B. J. BUTLER 5,65

CONDENSER MANUFACTURE File d NOV. 16, 11,926 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 19, 1931. B. J. BUTLER CONDENSER MANUFACTURE Filed Nov. 16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 newton Patented May 19, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BENJAMIN J. BUTLER, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WIRELESS I SPECIALTY APPARATUS COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CONDENSER MANUFACTURE Application filed November 16, 1926. Serial No. 148,665.

The invention hereof relates to the assembly of electrical condensers and more particularly those of the application of John A.

, Proctor, Serial Number 54,190, filed 3 September 1925 and of myself, Serial Number 111,683, filed 26 May 1926. But the subsequent disclosure in thepresent case is only that of said Proctor application.

The object of the invention is the economical production of good condensers, particularlyin respect of the labor charge which is the largest portion of the factory cost of condensers of the type which the invention is intended to produce.

The invention consists of the improvements in apparatus for manufacturing and of improvements in manufacturing condensers of the general type in question, which improvements are described hereinafter and specified in the claims, the description being aided by the drawings of which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a condenser of one of the types to be manufactured, this figure illustrating conditions just'prior to the final step in the manufacture; but exaggeration in the height of the stack having been made for clearness;

. Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofa hand-riveting machine, showing in cooperative relation therewith, theassembling device of Figs.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section of a portion of the'assembling device ofFig. 5, illustrating the condenser of Fig. 1 in process of manufacture;

Fig. 4 is a plan of the assembly device of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a central verticalsectionof the assembly device, which eventually is placed .in the riveting machine of Fi 2;

Fig. 6 is a topperspective view, illustrating.

the condenser of Fig. 1 after the riveting operation of the apparatus of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a modified form of the condenser of Figs. 1 and 6', which can be made in the apparatus of Figs. 2-5.

- The elements of the condenser are assembled by the operative in the device of Figs. 3-5; thereafter said device with. the condenser therein, is transferred to the machine of Fig. 2 and therein the rivet head A of Fig. 1 is upset as shown at V, Fig. 6.

In assembling the condensers of Figs. 1 and 7 in the device of Figs. 3-5, theoperative places the condenser parts in said device, working upwardly from the bottom of Fig. 1', i. e., first the rivet A, and then successively, the bottom metal clamp B, insulating (mica) sheet C, then alternately the armature foils and intervening dielectric (mica) sheets, metal connection-plate Q, foil-folds from the left, insulating (mica) sheet R, metal connection plate S, foil-folds from right, in sulating (mica) sheet T, and top metal clamp U. I

Then, in order to upset the top end of the rivet, the assembly device is transferred to the riveting machine of Fig. 2. After 'such riveting, the assembly device is removed from I i ing that of Fig. 7,,which is like that of Figs.

1 and 6 save that the'only armatures are the connection plates Q, S, without any foils as in Figs. '1 and 6. 'In the-condensers of Figs. 1, 6, .and 7, the connection plates project laterally from the stack as shown at tabs W and X, Fig. 6. The assembly process for the condenser of Fig. 7 is the same as that for the condensers of Figs. 1 and 6, save only for the laying of the foils in Figs. 1 and 6 and bending them up, over and down upon the connection plates Q, and S around stud or rivet A. In the condenser of Figs. 1 and 6 the foils are about double usual length, andafter the stack is built, the projecting bunches of foils onopposite sides of the stack are bent or folded upwardly and down upon the respective-connection plates Q, and S.

If the superficial dimensions of clamplng plates B and U are sufliciently small, and they are of steel or thick enough not to bend up at their edges, the central rivet A will hold the structureunder constant pressure to malntam constant capacity and the desired other clamping functions. In any event, the operation of upsetting the upper end of rivet A is such as to put the condenser stack under the desired mechanical pressure. Altho plates B and U may be of sheet metal, they should not be of such nature as to permit their periferies to bend away from the stack upon riveting at the center, to an extent sufficient to per mit substantial loosening of the condenser elements. But the invention may be employed in connection with any desired means of maintaining stack pressure, with any desired form of plates B and U, separately or jointly, and

any desired means for forcing them together.

The assembly operations are illustrated in a practical way in Figs. 2-5. Heretofore the manufacture .of this general class of condensers has included building of the condenser stack by girl operatives, and temporary clamping of the same by them to permit transport of the incomplete condensers to a more or less distant power machine which applied permanent clamps or clamping means, or both. This invention, however, involves an entirely different system of factory pro duction; i. e., it permits the entire completion of the condenser, including permanent-clamping, by the same girl operatives who build the stack, or at least permits permanent clamping of the condenser wlthout removing 1t from its assembly devlce, thisbelng advantageous in eliminating the step of temporary clamp ing and transfer to a more or less distant finishing or riveting machine, or first removing the condenser from its assembly device prior to such transfer, thereby reducing cost and insuring against disassembly of the various elements of the condenser.

In Fig. 2 is illustrated a small riveting machine, which is secured to a bench or table between two adjacent girl operatives, both of whom are engaged in building the condenser as in Figs. 1 and 6, or 7. Such two operatives never complete theassembly of a condenser at the same instant, and each, as soon asacondenser is assembled, operates handle 23 of the riveting machine of Fig. 2 to upset the upper end V of rivet A as the final operation, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The condenser assembly, however, is performed in the separate movable assembling device 14, shown in Figs. 35, each operative being provided with one of these devices 14, which is located on the bench in front of her during the assembly operation. Vhen a condenser has been assembled in this device, separate from the special riveting ma-' chine, Fig. 2, the OperatiXe transfers it to the lower part ofthat machine,centralizingthe device 14 under riveting pin 9 by placing device 14 inside of guide plates 24 and then operates handle 23 to depress pin 9 and upset the top of rivet A, the complete condenser being ejected from device 14 after this operation by outer movement of trip 11 caused by the operatives thumb. The operative then removes her own assembling device 14 from the the next condenser, leaving the machine of Fig-2 ready to receive the duplicate assembly device of her co-operative.

The assembly of the condenser in the assembly device 14 of Figs. 3-5, by one operative, in accord with the structure and operations illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, or 7 is as follows:

1st: Eyelet A (Fig. 1) is put over pm 1 of the assembly device (Fig. 5), its end which 1s already upset being down, and pin 1 pro ecting up thru the eyelet.

2nd: Centrally perforated lower clamping plate B (Fig. 1) is put over and around rivet A around central pin 1 (Fig. 5), the central perforation of B approximately fitting around rivet A (Fig. 1). Upto the tune of the final operation, i. e., riveting the pm 1, in eyelet A, holds the growing stack to a fixed center. Guide-posts 27 (Fig. 4) hold rectangular clamping plate B in alinement.

3rd: Centrally perforated insulating separator C (Fig. 1) is put over and around rivet A, its central perforation approximately fitting around therivet. Guide-posts 27 (Fig. 4) hold separator C in alinement with clamp plate B.

4th: A righthand lead foil (Flg. 1) 1sla1d over and around eyelet A and rlghthand guide-pin 2 (Fig. 5) The righthand end of such foil is laid between guide-plates 25 (Fig. 4). The lefthand end is laid between posts 27. Said foil has two perforations, both of like diameter, andlarger than eyelet A, Fig. 1. Said foil is laid down and around eyelet A so that the edge of its lefthand hole passes around (and is spaced from) eyelet A (Fig. 1) and the edgeof its righthand hole' engages and fits over p1n 2 (Fig. 5) of the assembly device, said foil-hole be ng the. same diameter as pin 2. This operat1on spaces the foil from left'to right with respect to central rivet A, the left hand hole being centralized relative to the rivet, by guide-pm 2 and guide-plates 25, said hole be1ng substantiallylargerthan the diameter of the rlvet (Fig. 2) in order to space and thereby nsulate the foil therefrom. Pin 2 is inclined at its outer side, as shown, Fig. 5, to facihtate the passage around it of the edge of the rlght hand hole in the projecting end of the f o1 l. Each righthand foil has one large electrical clearance hole for stud or rivet A and a good fit hole for the pin 2, irrespective of whether the two foil-holes are of equal diameter, as is shown and preferred.

5th A centrally perforated mica dielectrlc, Fig. 1, is then laid down around rivet A around pin 1 in Fig.5, between posts 27 Fig. 4. The central hole in the mica sheet is substud or rivet A to fit, but nottoo tight, in the mica. Since the foils are spaced from eyelet A, the central edge of the mica constitutes an insulating margin projecting inwardly from adjacent foils.

6th: A lefthand foil-sheet is put in place in the assembly device 14 of Fig. 5, its right hand hole surrounding eyelet A on pin 1, and spaced from A z" and its lefthand hole, engaging around left-hand guide-pin 3, Fig. 5, which is a duplicate of righthand pin 2, but inclined'in the opposite direction. The lefthand end of the foil is laid between guideplates 26 (Fig. 4), thereby, in cooperation with guide-pin 3 and guide-posts 27, centralizing righthand foil-hole aroundeyelet A. All the foils, right-hand and lefthand, have thei same two cut-holes near their respective en s.

I 7th: Mica-sheet operation 5th, above, is

repeated. All the mica sheets are laid directly above one another in the stack (Fig. 1), between guide-posts 27, Fig, 4.

8th: A second righthand foil-sheet is laid as in above operation 4th. Alternate foils project from opposite sides of the stack.

9th: Operation 5th is repeated for a mica dielectric.

10th: A second lefthand foil is laid as in above operation 6th; and this laying of rightha-nd foils, micas, and lefthand foils is continued up to the laying on of lower connection plate Q Fig. 1, at top. All these operations are conducted on top of assembly device 14 of Fig. 3-5, all the condenser partsbeing perforated and held at a fixed center until the final operation of riveting.

11th: The stack and condenser as thus far assembled on depressible table 16 of the device 14 of Fig. 5, with the elementsas in Fig.

1 and foils projecting left and right horizontally, are pressed down by the operatives fingers against spring 12 around plunger 15 carrying table 16. Latch-pin 4, pressed by spring 17, then shoots into lateral hole 5 in table 16, thereby holding'the condenser, table 16 and plunger 15 down, the table and condenser lying in well 18 in main block 14, as shown in Fig. 3. This downward movement forces into more or less upright positions, shown in Fig. 3, the groups of lefthand and righthand foils projecting from the stack; these foilsbeing first lifted upand off from pins 2 and 3. That is, the downward movement of table 16 into the depression or well 18 in assembly block 14, carries the stack down also and causes the ends of the projectingfoils to be slid inwardly up the inclines of pins 2 and 3 and off said pins, and causes the intermediate portions of the foils to engage against .the opposite side walls of well 18, so that as table 16 moves downward the projecting foils are forced up from the horizontal positions in which they have been stacked,-to the more or less vertical positions shown in Fig. 3, thereby making it unnecessary'for the operativeto perform the diffi cult feat of picking up the ends of the fragile foils with her fingers from a horizontal position lying on the flat .top surface of assemof the stack, its tab W being laid (Fig. 4

in a depression 28 betweenltwo posts 27, and the smaller hole Q1 in tab W (Fig. 6) engaging around a pin 29 fixed in the floor of depression .28. The main part of connection plate Q is alined by the two pairs of guide posts 27, and pin 29 centralizes the larger holeof Q (Fig; 1) around eyelet A on'center pin 9, so that the connection plate Q is insulated from the eyelet A.

13th: Thereupon the operative, with her.

fingers, folds down the ends of the lefthand foils to the right (Fig. 1), from the vertical position of Fig. 3, so that lefthand foil-holes are centralized around smaller eyelet A,

Figs. 1 and 4.

14th: Then intermediate insulating sheet R, Fig. 1, and upon that the upper connection plate S, are laid on top of the lefthand foils which have been folded down by the preceding operation. Sheet R is alined between the two pairs of guide-posts 27 (Fig. 4). Plate S is guided similarly to plate Q of the 12th operation, its tab X, Fig. 6, being laid in a depression 30 between two posts 27. the pin 31 engaging in the hole X1 in tab X of plate S, Fig. 6. The stack now is ready (vertical in Fig. 3), to have the righthand' foils folded over on top of connection plate S.

15th: Then the operative with her fingers (Fig. 4) folds down the projecting ends of the righthand foils, Fig. 3, so that they assume the position shown in Fig. 2; and she centralizes the holes in the folded down foils, around rivet A.

Note: The stack of Fig. 1 is adapted for capacities up to .005 mfd; but above that capacity the stack will have greater-thickness. stack inthe same condenser, i. e., including use of foils having the same spaced holes, the above operations may be modified as follows.

Upon completion of the stack and before the application of the first or lower connection plate Q,'the first group of projecting foils may be folded over upon the stack. This permits the holesthru the projecting and folded portions of the foils to be centralized around eyelet A, notwithstanding the slight increase in stack thickness for higher capacity. Then connection plate Q may be laid and upon it insulating sheet B (Fig. 1). Then the other set'of foils is folded over in assembly device 14, permitting centralizing of their holes In order .toassemble such a. thicker 1 9 around eyelet A, and on them then is laid insulating separator T.

16th: Then top insulating sheet T, Fig. 1, is laid on top of the folded-over horizontal portion of the righthand foils, being alined by eyelet A and the posts 27, Fig. 4, and the side walls of well 18 in block 14.

17th: Then top clamping plate U is laid on sheet T around eyelet A around pin 1, Fig. 4.

18th: Then the assembly device 14, Fig. 5, a part of which is shown enlarged in Fig. 3, is transferred by the operative from a position in front of her to the position on the base 13, as shown in Fig. 2, and centralized underneath the plunger 7 of the riveting machine by insertion of block 14 within guideplate 24. As shown in Fig. 3, table 16 and the condenser are held down in well 18 of assembly block 14, the condenser, pending the final operation of upsetting eyelet A, being laterally held in assembly by the walls of well 18, the terminal tabs of the condenser being held in depressions 28, 30, Fig. 4.

19th: The operative, by pulling down handle 23, Fig. 2, operating on pivot 6, forces down plunger 8. which carries riveting pin 9 at its 'lower end. Pin 9 and the other parts shown at the lower end of plunger 8 move down toward the condenser in their relative positions as shown, with pin 9 projecting below plate 7, and the lower end of plunger 8 slightly above the lower surface of plate 7 Four screw-bolts 20, surrounding plunger 8, are screwed into plate 7, but extend free thru member 22 set at 32 on plunger 8. Springs 19 surround bolts 20, and additional springs 21 are located between member 22 and plate 7. Upon operation of handle 23, first, pin 9 enters in eyelet A, eventually depressing pin 1 against spring 10 (Fig. 5) and replacing pm 1. Next, plate 7 engages the top of the condenser which quickly slows up the movement of plate 8 relative to that of pin 9 and plunger 8, which continue their uniform downward movement (while plate 7 is increasing the pressure, via springs 19 and 21, on the stack) until the upper tapered portion of pin 9 engages the top of eyelet A and upsets it. In this operation, plate 7 is nearly stationary and the lower portion of plunger 8 moves down, member 22 sliding down along bolts 20. Plate 7 compresses the condenser to the desired final pressure, and maintains it until the upset of the eyelet takes over this function. The operative then releases handle 23 and pin 1 springs up into the eyelet A.

20th: The condenser now being completed, the operative pulls out rod 11 of the assembly block 14, Fig. 2, releasing latch-pin 4, Fig. 5, from table 16, allowing spring 12 to shoot table 16 up and eject the completed condenser from the assembly block 14.

21st: The operative then removes assembly block 14 from the riveting machine of Fig. 2, replaces it in front of her in position convenient for buildin the next condenser, thereby leaving the riveting machine free to have inserted in it, by the adjacent operative, another duplicate assembly block 14 carrying a condenser completed save for the riveting operation.

22nd: The structurally completed condensers as they are ejected, in Fig. 2, from the assembly block 14, after riveting, then are treated finally in preparation for service, are tested for voltage breakdown and capacity, and are then ready for the market. The treatment may include any well-known boiling in hot paraffin under a vacuum, if desired.

If desired, the operation of folding down the foils from the vertical positions shown in Fig. 2 may be aided by any suitable mechanism, just as the operation of picking up the foils to the vertical positions shown in Fig. 3 is effected by the mechanism of the assembly block 14. But it is usually sufiicient, as shown, to enlist the aid of mechanism for picking up the foils (Fig. 3) and to leave the folding down of the foils to the fingers of the operative. It is desirable to effect the machine operation of Fig. 3, as the preferred method of elevating the foils to their positions shown, on account of their fragile nature, because of the consequent difiiculty in picking them up by the fingers from the horizontal positions in which they have been stacked initially, especially having in mind that actually the foils projecting outside the stack lie close together in a thin fragile bunch as distinguished from the exaggerated separation of Fig. 1, and that they lie down close to the surface of the assembly block. When once the foils are more or less elevated, as in Fig. 3, it is not difficult for the two bunches of foils to be engaged by the fingers of the operative to push them down toward the rivet or compression stud and centralize them, because, as distinguished from the stacked foil-position where the foils lie flat on the assembly block and require to be picked up, on the other hand in the foil-positions shown in Fig. 3 their ends are more or less free in the air in osition tobe folded down as distinguished rom being picked up for upward folding.

The hollow or well 18 of the block 14 of Figs. 3-5 is formed to receive the entire condenser, when table 16 is depressed, i. e., is formed with depressions 28, 30 (Fig. 4), so as to permit the free downward passage of projecting terminals or tabs W, X (Fig. 6). These projecting terminals may be of any desired shape, and depressions 28, 30 (Fig. 4) are shaped accordingly.

In the riveting machine of Fig. 2, the spring plate 7 is designed relative to riveting pin 9, so that plate 7 holds the condenser built up the desired compression and, therefore, a constant capacity, in connection with the sub-' sequent waxing treatment.

The eyelet rivet A, as a compression stud, may be a solid rivet, or the condenser may becompleted without the use of any riveting machine but with the assembly block 14, when such compression stud consists of a bolt with a nut in place of an upset rivet. With such form of central compression stud, the capacity of the condenser can be adjusted by screwing up the nut.

Preferably, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 (but not necessarily), the connection plates Q and S, with their terminal tabs W and X, are located at right angles to the oblong foils, i. e. the tabs \V and X project from the sides of the stack from which the foils do not project. The advantage of this is that the guide pins 2 and 3 of assembly block 14 of Big. 5 can be permanently fixed, the tabs and X being carried down into the depressions 28, 30, of block 14 when the partiall completed condenser on table 16 is presse down to force up the projecting foils from off the pins 2 and 3 to the more or less vertical positions (Fig. 3) which will facilitate subsequent manual folding. down of the foils on top of the condenser stack. That is, the above-described relation between the tabs W and X and the projecting foils of opposite polarity permits the perforated foils being placed over the fixed pins 2 and 3, and yet leaves the rest of the condenser free, including tabs W and X, to be depressed in order to ush the foils up from off. the pins 2 and 3.

he advantages of the'invention are that when the parts-of the condenser have been assembled in their operative positions and when they would be disturbed from such positions by removal from the assembly device, their transfer to the riveting machine without removal from the assembly device, permits the parts to be retained permanently inthe operatmg positions in which they have been carefull stacked manually by the op erative; and t e provision of a single riveting machine constructed and arranged to cooperate successively with each of a plurality of neighboring assembly devices in whichthe condensers have been assembled, is ad'- vantageous in that it permits substantially simultaneous manual assemblage of a plurality of condensers by a plurality of operatives, and the alternative use of the same riveting machine by the same operatives who are assembling the condensers, without re-- quiring even such disturbance of the condenser parts as would be liable to .be involved by transfer of the assembled condensers in theassembly devices from the place of assembly toa distant point and/or from the assembly-operatives to a transferring or riveting operative. This method has the novel merit in condenser manufacture that it centers all responsibility for finally operative condensers upon a single operative who both assembles and finally clamps by riveting; and the invention provides the means whereby this can be done without compelling the operative to leave her place and without 'requiring expensive power-driven riveting machinery in multiple for every two or three operatives. The cost of all of a large number of little hand-riveting machines of vFig. 2 which serves for two or more operatives, is substantially no greater than the power machines heretofore in use for riveting condensers assembled by the same gross number of operatives. A larger portion of the economy eil'ected by that invention is in the assembly of the condensers'in the assembly devices; but avery important economy results in the insurance against inferior or inoperative condensers due to mis-placement of parts between completion of assembly and final clamping,

I particularly point out and distinctly claim the part, improvement or combination which I claim as my invention or discovery, as follows:

1. An assembling device for an electrical condenser having projecting foils to be folded over on top of the stack, which comprises -a building surface including outer stationary portions and an intermediate depressible support adjacent the stationary portions; foilalining means; and a device locking said support in its depressed position.

2. An assembly device for an electrical foil condenser, which comprises a block having a central stack-well; foil-guides on said block beyond opposite sides of said stack-Well; and a stack-carrier depressibly mounted in the stack-well.

. 3. An assembly device for an electrical foil and mica condenser, which comprises a block having a central stack-well; foil-guides on said block beyond opposite sides of said said projecting foil at a distance from said f stack for raising said projecting foil with respect to the foil within the stack.

. 5. An assembly for a capacitor stack comprising a support, means thereon forver- 'tically positioning a rivet, guide means for layers of dielectric sheets perforated to recelve said rivet, and guide means to pos1t1on la ers of foil around said rivet and stacked with said sheets but out of contact with the rivet b cooperation of a portion of the foil lateral y projecting beyond said stack on one side.

6. An assembly for a capacitor stack comprising a support, guide means for superposing layers of foil and dielectric material thereon in a stackwith the foil extending beyond one edge of the dielectric material, the portion of said support under the projecting foil being movable with respect to the portion of said support under the'stack to facilitate raising the projecting foil layers from said support.

7 The process of erecting a condenser stack which comprises separately aligning a plurality of armatures and dielectric members with the armatures extending beyond the dielectric members on opposite sides and simultaneously moving the armatures for bending them adjacent the stack sides.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

BENJ. J. BUTLER. 

